O Panneerselvam has never been loyal to AIADMK, charges Edappadi Palaniswami
Panneerselvam has already been expelled from the party’s primary membership during the AIADMK general council meeting convened in Chennai, Palaniswami told reporters at Madurai airport on Sunday.
Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam
MADURAI: Putting an end to O Panneerselvam’s claim that the AIADMK would be united in the coming days, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said, Panneerselvam has never been loyal to the party in the political history of the AIADMK.
Panneerselvam has already been expelled from the party’s primary membership during the AIADMK general council meeting convened in Chennai, Palaniswami told reporters at Madurai airport on Sunday.
Several years ago, when former AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa contested polls from Bodinayakkanur Assembly constituency against Vennira Aadai Nirmala, a veteran actor, Panneerselvam represented himself as an agent of Nirmala, the contestant, against the wishes of Jayalalithaa. After the demise of Jayalalithaa, OPS claimed that there’s mystery behind her death and based on his insistence, his government constituted a commission to probe into Jayalalithaa’s death. But, he did not cooperate when he’s summoned by the inquiry commission.
Recalling the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, EPS said OPS was selfish and disloyal to the party since he worked for the victory of his son, who contested from Theni and ignored others. Panneerselvam was not concerned about the party, but only his son. He even went to an extent of freezing AIADMK’s traditional party symbol ‘Two Leaves’, legally. Furthermore, OPS contested the 2024 polls from Ramanathapuram against the AIADMK candidate. Citing these, EPS wondered how OPS could be loyal to AIADMK and ruled out any possibility of his merger with the AIADMK.
EPS rebutting BJP state president K Annamalai’s claim said that he’s not a traitor, but called Annamalai as an embodiment of betrayal. He also criticised Annamalai as a chameleon. Unlike BJP, which appointed Annamalai on a designated position of state president, EPS said that he’s elected by the AIADMK’s general council.
“We won’t tolerate him (Annamalai) speaking against leaders of our party (AIADMK) anymore,” Palaniswami said adding that Annamalai should first learn how to speak.
Further, EPS said the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu has deteriorated as political murders are on the rise.
Referring to the recent brutal murder of BSP leader Armstrong, he said there is no safety even for the leader of the national party.
